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It seems people who read this blog were interested in this pink headboard I posted under "A Touch of Pink." The headboard is the design of a darling, fair-haired shop owner named Cynthia Davis. Her charming store, Indulge, is located in Houston's tony River Oaks area in an even more charming building rebuilt by her husband, noted architect Issac Preminger. The Provencal inspired gardens and interiors of Indulge are so overwhelmingly beautiful, that shopping is sometimes a secondary excuse to visit. The entry, guarded by her three large Briard dogs, is shaded by an awning. Just inside the front door is a room fauxed the most beautiful shade of blue. In the foyer, Cynthia has displayed the entire Juliska glass collection. Upstairs are baby goods. To the left and right are plates, glass, kitchenware, gardening goods, bath linens, and furniture. Weekly delivered orchids of every variety are available, along with French home magazines. Though this location is still new, Cynthia has already outgrown the space and is opening a second location to showcase her furniture. Truly an indulgence of the senses from the fragrances to the eye candy - Indulge is a delight.

A faux bois vase sits on a table styled by Cynthia.

The soft spoken Cynthia and her debonair husband Issac at home with their three "babies."

The living room: note the thickness of the doorway arches. Mirrors, iron tables, linen fabrics, down cushions - all add to Pierce's style.

This is the home of Pam Pierce, a well-known Houston designer who does French, Houston style. These photos come from the cover story of the May 2006 issue of Veranda. Pierce uses gorgeous period pieces along with non-period pieces, but, certainly, you will find no cheap reproductions here. Authenticity is the key. The look is spare, the accessories are highly edited, the mood is calm. Pierce uses lots of gold mirrors, peeling painted pieces, Santos, limestone, Swedish antiques sprinkled here and there along with an Italian piece or two, iron tables, down cushions, seagrass, stucco, and other details that when mixed together produce a visual that is breathtaking. She eschews any pattern in her fabrics and favors linens and checks.

The house is a gorgeous old Mediterranean in a very fashionable area of town within walking distance of all the great museums and the heady Rice University. Huge live oak trees, ancient hedges, and overgrown ivy all add to the Southern mystique and beauty of her circular street that lies behind an original, stately entrance. Pierce completely remodeled the house, using architectural antiques imported from France and Europe, mostly purchased by Chateau Domingue which is owned by her friend and client Ruth Gay. (Watch here for a future entry on her home to note Gay's version of French, Houston style.)

More living room: french day bed, the popular, must-have crowns on the side table.

Pierce and a small number of other interior designers from Houston have carved a niche out for themselves with this style. Their clients tend to be younger couples with enormous wealth who can afford this look. It doesn't come cheap. Several stores (mostly owned by these same said designers) provide the french antiques to fill the mansions (some are Mac-mansions) these young people inhabit. The oil & gas business which is headquartered here in Houston has been very good to us and these upper level designers have ridden the waves of this industry's ups and down. When the price of oil is low, they are scratching for clients. When oil is high, these designers are living in gorgeous Mediterranean villas themselves.

This indulgence does not stop in the house, it continues outside, of course. Pierce's yard is small by any one's standards, yet every square inch is manicured and furnished with centuries old pots and statues and with a small army of fauxbois and curly iron work. Danny McNair is her landscape architect, and there are several other companies who do this look just as well: Thompson+Hansen for one. Truth be told, Gardens in Austin, led the way for these others to follow. Pierce is at the top of her game; these photos are the proof.

Chelsea Edition checks on slipcovers. That touch of pink. Layers of linen frame the bookcases.

Original large Santos greet visitors. Truly antique limestone fireplace from France. The photostylist is moving the pink flowers around.

The breakfast room: note how thickly she framed out the shelves. Large, vintage apothecary jars - the real thing.

The charming newly remodeled kitchen.

Outside with old fauxbois, french fountain and gravel (probably imported from France?)

Pink is everywhere these days. Southern Accents reported that at the spring home show in Paris, the deeper pinks - the berry pinks - overtook everything and if you didn't have something in this color yet, you will by next year. Patricia Gray has a beautiful blog on pink today, so be sure to visit her!

Sometimes, though, all you need is a touch of pink to get the soothing effect that light pink gives or the pop of a brighter pink. Here are some pictures with just that touch.

Pink shows up on an accent wall and in the flowers.

Pink pillows on brown upholstery with the same pink caladiums that have overtaken my yard.

This is a personal entry that has nothing to do with decorating, or French things, or anything else so material.

Yesterday, my husband and I went to Marble Falls,Texas to pick up our precious 16 year old daughter from summer camp. On the way home, we stopped for lunch and then headed back on the road when it started to be a typical Texan monsoon. We were in the hills and my husband was driving rather fast, I thought, so I asked him to slow down because of the torrential rain. He told me to forget it, he knew how to drive in the rain, so I buckled on my seatbelt and dozed off for a few minutes. This is what happened right before us. Had we left lunch a few seconds earlier, this would have been us.

Ben stopped the car and got out and called EMS (which took about 30 minutes to get there it seemed). Four people ended up being life flighted to Austin with life threatening injuries. Four cars were involved in the wreck. Ironically, exactly one month ago, three teachers were killed in a wreck in this exact same intersection. In fact, there were still flowers marking their wreckage site. So many people had stopped to help, that after Ben finished pulling the debris off the highway, we decided to leave. It was still pouring rain. A pickup truck was tailing cars and swerving from lane to lane, going around 80 mph, as if he hadn't just witnessed the same wreck that we had. Some people never learn.

As we reached home, Ben said we should thank God that we were home and that we were safe.

This dining room by Fiona Newell Weeks in this month's Southern Accents is my personal favorite right now. I love this room and in trying to figure out exactly why I love it so, and why it speaks to me, I decided it was, without a doubt, the Farrow and Ball wallpaper. This vivid blue and cream paper is probably not one I would ever choose for myself, yet, I absolutely adore this room! What makes it work so well is the bright paper juxtaposed with the calm furniture. A ying and yang effect that is just perfection. The caramel colored drapes against the blue paper, the beautiful, carved wood chairs, the dark table, the whimsical boat chandelier that seems to be everywhere these days, the oval mirror - all these elements combine together to make this dining room my #1 current fav. Here are some more rooms where the wallpaper makes the room. Imagine these rooms without the paper.

Marshall Watson's use of a glorious Cowtan and Tout wallpaper.

Eric Cohler's blue dining room.

Charlotte Moss' use of her own line for Brunschwig and Fils. Note the touch of pink and green.

Carolyne Roehm uses one pattern for everything.

I love how the corner cabinet matches with the wallpaper.

Black and white toile sets off turquoise gingham. Wow!

Red and White damask used on just one wall.

A wide, open damask picks up the colors of the fabrics and even the flowers.

Beta-Plus is a publishing house located in Belgium. Their books are simply beautiful to look at, which is a good thing because there's not much in them to read. Each book is themed like: Country Living, City Houses, Timeless Renovations, and Exceptional Gardens. Be forewarned, they are very expensive picture books. But, what exceptional pictures! Usually there is only one picture per page and since only a few houses are featured per book, you really get a sense of the house because so much of it is photographed. Very few places in Houston carry the books - I've only seen them in two places - which makes their web site all the more vital.

Note the design of the door.

The majority of houses pictured are in Belgium, it seems and that in itself is puzzling to me: I never knew so many wealthy people with exceptionally good taste lived in Belgium. After a while, the names of the architects and interior designers whose work is featured in these books become familiar. Apparently, it's a small family of professionals who work on the houses and gardens featured. The pictures are hauntingly beautiful, very quiet and spare, like the interiors themselves. Oversized furniture, huge accessories, and no clutter seems to be what goes for chic in Belgium.

Hi, I’m Joni Webb. I believe in beautiful homes, gracious style, and timeless decorating. Cote de Texas is the place where I record my interior observations as a writer. I also accept limited design commissions within the Houston, Texas area.

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